Pole climbing device for positioning a luminaire in a connector atop a pole

Abstract

A pole climbing device that includes a gripping mechanism for gripping a pole, a drive mechanism for moving the pole climbing device along the pole, and a connector for connecting the pole climbing device to a luminaire support. The pole climbing device might be configured to be remotely controlled by a user to carry a luminaire up the pole to be coupled to a connector.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pole climbing device for climbing and descending a pole of a light pole system, the pole climbing device comprising:
 a gripping mechanism for gripping the pole of the light pole system; 
 a drive mechanism for moving the pole climbing device along the pole; and 
 a connector for connecting the pole climbing device to a luminaire support. 
 
     
     
       2. The pole climbing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communication device so that the operation of the pole climbing device is controllable remotely; 
 a moveable part that, in use, is moveable by the pole climbing device to cause attachment or detachment of the luminaire support and a light pole connector, the moveable part is arranged so that movement of at least part of the moveable part along an axis that is parallel and/or orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the pole causes attachment and/or detachment of the luminaire support and the light pole connector; and 
 wherein the connector for connecting the pole climbing device to the luminaire support is comprised by an arm of the pole climbing device. 
 
     
     
       3. The pole climbing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket arranged at an end of the pole climbing device such that, when the pole climbing device descends the pole which is vertical, the bracket is the first part of the pole climbing device to contact the ground at the base of the pole, and wherein the pole climbing device is arranged so that it is stackable with one or more further pole climbing devices. 
     
     
       4. The pole climbing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pole climbing device comprises an elongated arm; 
 in use on the pole, a longitudinal axis of the arm of the pole climbing device is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pole; 
 the gripping mechanism for gripping the pole of the light pole system is adaptable to grip the pole having a diameter of up to 1000 mm; and 
 the pole climbing device further comprises a mechanism for moving the arm of the pole climbing device around the longitudinal axis of the pole when the gripping mechanism is gripping the pole, with the connector moving relative to a main body of the pole climbing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The pole climbing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pole climbing device further comprises one or more wheels for moving the pole climbing device along the pole, and wherein at least one wheel of the one or more wheels is arranged to tilt such that, in use, tilting the at least one wheel of the one or more wheels rotates the pole climbing device around the pole, the at least one wheel of the one or more wheels include:
 a central part and first and second wings; 
 the first and second wings are attached to opposite ends of the central part; and 
 when the at least one wheel is pressed against the pole, the first and second wings deform the central part of the wheel. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of attaching a luminaire to a pole of a light pole system, wherein the light pole system comprises the pole and a light pole connector attached to the pole, the method comprising:
 connecting a pole climbing device to the pole; 
 connecting a luminaire support to the pole climbing device, wherein the luminaire is attached to the luminaire support; 
 operating the pole climbing device so that it moves along the pole and connects the luminaire support to the light pole connector; 
 operating the pole climbing device so that it attaches the luminaire support to the light pole connector; 
 wherein the light pole connector comprises:
 a first attachment part for attaching the light pole connector to the pole of the light pole system; and 
 a second attachment part for attaching the luminaire support to the light pole connector, wherein the first attachment part is arranged to receive electrical power from the pole, the second attachment part comprises a connector for providing the electrical power received by the first attachment part to the luminaire support; and 
 
 the attachment between the light pole connector and the luminaire support is a releasable attachment; 
 wherein luminaire support comprises:
 a first attachment part for attaching the luminaire support to the light pole connector of the light pole system; and 
 a second attachment part for attaching the luminaire support to the luminaire of the light pole system, wherein the first attachment part comprises an electrical connector to a power supply in the light pole connector; and the attachment between the luminaire support and the light pole connector is a releasable attachment; and 
 
 wherein the pole climbing device comprises:
 a gripping mechanism for gripping the pole of the light pole system; and 
 a drive mechanism for moving the pole climbing device along the pole; and 
 a connector for connecting the pole climbing device to the luminaire support.